Browns already have Kirk Cousins in Brian Hoyer

Dec 29, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (12) drops back to pass against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. The Giants defeated the Redskins 20-6. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

With the hiring of Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns being official, the rumor mill surrounding Kirk Cousins will only increase.  Shanahan spent the last four years in Washington and the last two with Cousins, so naturally, the Browns are going to trade for Cousins.  Of course, they already have a Michigan State quarterback exactly like Cousins in Brian Hoyer and whether people have Cousins or Hoyer as the better of the two, trading assets for a reasonable facsimile is a waste of assets.

Unless the Browns are desperate to try to have a situation where if the starter were to get injured and they want a virtual duplicate to step in and play, there is not much to be gained from collecting former Spartan quarterbacks.  They share many of the same characteristics; both have average arm strength, rely on accuracy and ball placement and have found success in spite of physical attributes rather than because of them.  Both also have an extremely limited amount of playing experience in the NFL.

So why would the Browns give up picks for something they already have?  Cousins is slightly younger, barely taller and still has his hair, but that is not exactly a great argument for shipping off a pick to grab Hoyer’s doppelganger.  The Browns need to make a pick that has the potential to be a legitimate franchise passer.  Both Hoyer and Cousins are more likely to be middle of the road, bridge quarterbacks and the Browns have the ammunition and the opportunity to get a player that can transform the franchise.

And in the worst case, the Browns could give up a valuable draft pick to get the next A.J. Feeley or Kevin Kolb.  Kirk Cousins is a great backup option behind Robert Griffin III.  He has not shown anything all that impressive outside of dicing up the Browns defense as a rookie.  The last time a team handed out a contract based on beating the Browns was Scott Mitchell after Dan Marino tore his ACL.

The Browns need a franchise quarterback.  There is no reason for the Browns to trade for Kirk Cousins.  Even if they believed he was a good quarterback, he does not offer anything other than working hair follicles that would suggest he is any better than Hoyer, who the Browns already have.